The present invention relates to surfactants for separating hydrocarbons from solids. In particular, it relates to a surfactant derived from low-rank coal and hydrogen peroxide for separating bitumen from sand.
It is known to use hot water in order to separate particulate matter such as clay, sand or silt from oil and tar. However, a significant amount of oil and tar remains bound to the particulate matter after hot water treatment. Hydrogen peroxide is a known surfactant for removing oil and tar from sand, silt or clay. However, it may not be satisfactory in all cases and is often ineffective. Therefore there is a need in the art for a surfactant comprising hydrogen peroxide which may be more effective.